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Compost - moisture sucking!!

yorkiethorntonyorkiethornton Posts: 100
in Problem solving
Really random observation that I’ve never come across before. I’ve sat newly planted pots in trays of water. Some pots have crocks, others not. What I’ve noticed is the compost has not drawn up the water, and even after several hours the compost is bone dry. Pouring the water in the tray from the top, the water passes straight through. There’s no additional grit in the mixture. Wondering if the peat free products are a factor. Just curious!

Posts

  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    @yorkiethornton can't say about peat free compost but we grow insectivorous plants and this year we have noticed that whilst they are sitting in water they weren't doing well. So watering them from the top onto the compost we have plants that are doing better then ever. The growth has been much better than we have seen for some years.
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    If the compost gets really dry then there can be problems persuading it to take up water. Put your pots into water that comes right up near the top and leave them until you see the compost showing wet on the surface. Let them drain thoroughly and you will have no further problems.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    The peat-free compost that I had last year drained like a sieve, even with some homemade compost mixed in. I ended up putting shallow saucers under my tomato buckets to keep a small reservoir of water in the bottom (the toms were tied in to canes that were fastened to wires on the wall of the garage, so not possible to lift them and dunk in a larger bucket).
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Oncecompost gets really dry it can be difficult to rehydrate. IME it either needs to be done by submerging the pot in a deep bucket of water. Lots of air bubbles are released from the compost as it is flooded. Leave standing in the water for 15 mins beforetaking out and draining. 

    For things which can't besubmerged (seed trays, hanging baskets etc) Lotsof mini slow waterings from the top are a good way to go. For seed trays stand them in a tray of water andseveral fast, light passes over the top with a watering can with a fine rose.

    For hanging baskets, a large handful of ice cubes left to slowly melt into the compost works well.

    Once compost is moist it is better to not allow it to dry out completely.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Love the idea of ice cubes, as long as there are enough left for the G@T.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    like most peat free compost about, yours is crap. IMHO
    Devon.
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    I've put a few drops of washing up liquid in the water, it obviously breaks up the surface tension. Can't remember any plant having an issue with me doing that.... mind it's only a few drops.
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • cmarkrcmarkr Posts: 142
    Hydrophobic from becoming too dry.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've actually found the opposite with the stuff I've tried recently. I had to take some little Acidantheras out of it, and put them in some ordinary garden soil. They were under cover too, but were sitting there just staying wet. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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